A Betrayal of Trust
by Khaemera
Summary: Kate Beckett accompanies her lover, Remus Lupin, as he heads to Hogwarts to start his first term as the new DADA professor. News of Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban reaches them, and panic ensues as Black somehow manages to get past the dementors guarding the gate. Kate and Remus' prior experience with Sirius could not prepare them for the events to come. Set in PoA, canon.
1. A Shocking Headline

**I know, I know, another Sirius/Remus/OC story. I can't help that I am a massive fan of both of these characters. :) Hope you all enjoy- please review and let me know what you think of the opening!**

Kate rose with the sun one August morning, wiggling her toes as they came in contact with the cool wooden floorboards of the cottage she shared with her lover in Kent. Stretching in the sunlight, she ran a hand through her tangled brown hair and glanced at the opposite side of the bed. The covers had been thrown back, and the space was empty. He must have had trouble sleeping again.

Wandering down the narrow hallway, Kate passed framed photographs of the two of them, their family, and their friends. As she did every morning, she paused before a picture of a beautiful woman with green eyes and dark red hair, her arms around a young man whose glasses glinted in the sunlight and whose black hair stuck up at all angles. Because the image was a wizarding photograph, the couple waved, smiled, and even leaned in for an occasional kiss. Kate kissed her fingertips and pressed them to the glass, whispering, "Still missing you, Lily, James."

She entered the kitchen, attracted by the smell of fresh coffee. Remus Lupin turned around from where he had been scrubbing last night's dirty dishes in the sink. The morning sunlight caught the grey strands scattered throughout his sandy hair, and he had dark circles under his brown eyes. Tall and thin, he looked exhausted, despite his young age. He managed a weak smile. "Good morning, love."

Kate moved forward to peck him on the cheek. "Good morning." She took the wet rag from his hand and frowned at him. "Why don't you use magic?"

Remus shrugged. "I couldn't sleep. I needed something to do."

Kate rose on tiptoe and kissed him again, this time full on the mouth. She nodded at the front door, where the sound of insistent tapping was echoing. "I'll finish this. You fetch the paper and have a seat. I'll get the coffee."

Remus smiled. "Fair enough."

Kate filled two mugs with the steaming brown liquid, inhaling the burnt aroma. Sprinkling a little sugar into Remus' mug, she brought them both to the table. She turned to warm up some crumpets while listening to Remus talking to the owl that delivered the Daily Prophet, the wizarding newspaper, as he dug in the pockets of his robes for coins. He shuffled back down the hallway, shaking out the paper. His footsteps stopped abruptly on the threshold. Kate turned around, alerted by the noise. "What's wrong?"

Remus had gone deathly pale, his eyes focused in horror on the front page. "How?" he breathed.

"Remus?" Kate laid the tray of crumpets down on the counter, walking over to him. She smoothed a strand of hair back from his face. "What's happened?"

Remus met her eyes, his own reflecting his fear and anger. Without a word, he turned the paper around to show her the headline screaming out at her in bold print.

**SIRIUS BLACK ESCAPES FROM AZKABAN**

_First Ever Recorded Escape from the Prison_

"No," Kate whispered, paling.

Remus grabbed her elbow and lead her to a kitchen chair. She sank into it gratefully, clutching the edge of the table for support. Her fingernails left crescent-shaped marks in the wood. "How-?" she started, her hands shaking as she gazed at the photograph of the snarling man on the front page. "I don't-," she tried again. Hot tears filled her eyes. She didn't recognize Sirius. Where he had once been young and handsome, he was now gaunt and filthy. His black hair, once shiny as a raven's wing, was now matted and reached his elbows. His cheeks were sunken, and his eyes blazed like glittering grey stones.

"Kate." Remus was eyeing her worriedly. "Are you going to faint?"

Kate took several deep breaths, trying to calm her racing pulse. "No, I don't think so." She frowned. "How did he do it?"

Remus shrugged, trying to look unconcerned. "Who knows, but the entire Ministry will be out looking for him, I can promise you that."

"You don't think- Harry…" Kate's mouth had gone dry. Why else would Sirius have broken out of prison?

Remus shook his head. "Harry is safe with Dumbledore. Sirius can't get to him." He took Kate's hands in his large, warm ones and forced her to look him in the eye. "James and Lily's boy is safe, Kate. Don't worry."

"I hope so," Kate breathed, her eyes filling with tears. "You don't think- I couldn't bear it if he got to their boy, Remus, I just couldn't."

"He won't," Remus assured her. He began rubbing her hands with his and kissing them, trying to fight the deathly cold, clammy feeling that clung to her skin. "It's okay, Kate, breathe."

"Will he come after us?" she whispered, her hazel eyes locking on to his.

Remus paused, not wanting to lie to her. At last, he shook his head. "I don't know," he said truthfully.


	2. An Interesting Proposal

**Here you go, lovelies! Enjoy (and please please please review)!**

Kate sat curled up on the couch in the little sitting area at the front of the house. Dusk had fallen, and it was getting more and more difficult to see the pages of the book she was reading as the sun sank behind the horizon. She delayed lighting the candles that were placed around the room, preferring instead to stay cocooned in her warm knit blanket. Remus sat beside her, staring blankly at the wall. She knew he was thinking about Sirius, and about the danger that his escape might pose for them.

A crisp knock sounded at the front door. Kate frowned at Remus. "Are you expecting anyone?" When he shook his head, she rose, placing her book facedown on the sofa and moving swiftly to answer the door. There on the threshold stood an ancient wizard, whose snow white hair and beard were both long enough to tuck into his belt. His eyes, blue behind half-moon glasses, were serious, lacking the twinkling joy they usually expressed. "Hello, Miss Beckett."

Kate frowned. It was highly unusual for the Headmaster of Hogwarts to appear unannounced on her doorstep in the middle of nowhere. "Dumbledore," she greeted him politely. "How can I help-?"

"I need to speak to Remus," the old man said brusquely, attempting to push past her. When she blocked the doorway with her arm, he frowned at her, but his eyes twinkled behind his lenses. "It is quite urgent, Miss Beckett, I assure you."

"Remus is indisposed," Kate replied curtly.

Dumbledore craned his head back to examine the moon as it climbed the night sky. "How unusual," he observed mildly. It's only the half moon, tonight."

Kate made a face. "You know what I mean. Surely, you've seen the papers."

"I have, and that is why I am here." Dumbledore smiled. Nudging Kate out of his way, he swept into the cottage. Kate followed him, scowling at the old man's rudeness. "Remus, I need to speak with you," Dumbledore announced as he entered the sitting room.

Remus looked up at his old teacher in surprise. "Professor! What are you doing here?"

Dumbledore's face was grim. "To speak to you about Sirius, my boy, of course."

Remus turned his head and resumed staring at the wall. "I have nothing left to say about him."

"Good," said Dumbledore, seating himself in a squishy armchair by the fireplace. "That's what I was hoping to hear."

"What?" Remus and Kate asked together.

Dumbledore gave Remus a serious look over the tops of his glasses. "I- well, I say I, but I really mean Hogwarts- am in need of a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I was hoping you might be interested in the post."

Kate shook her head, confused by the change of subject. "I don't understand-"

Dumbledore glanced at her, then looked back at Remus. "I know work has been spotty for you lately," he said kindly, "and believe me, with all of your address changes it was quite difficult to track you down."

"We move for a reason, Dumbledore," Kate said fiercely. "You know perfectly well why Remus can't take that position."

"Ah," said Dumbledore, folding his hands in his lap. "Here we come at last to the heart of the discussion. Remus, do you have any sympathy left for Sirius Black?"

Remus' head swiveled around to fix Dumbledore with a glare. "I most certainly do not. How dare you ask me that when Lily- when James…"

Kate hurried forward to kneel beside his chair, frowning at Dumbledore over her shoulder. "Why would you bring that up, you old codger?" she asked angrily. "Those days are gone. Sirius can rot for all either of us cares."

Dumbledore spread his hands wide. "Then the post is yours."

"But what about my- my _affliction_?" Remus asked, his voice dropping to a whisper as he glanced furtively over his shoulder at the curtained windows. "I can't be trusted in a school full of students-"

"The Shrieking Shack still stands, Remus, and you are welcome to utilize it if you like. Werewolf treatment has come a long way from where it used to be. Severus would be more than happy to brew you the Wolfsbane potion every month."

"Severus?" Kate asked, momentarily distracted. "Snape?"

"Yes, of course," Dumbledore nodded, polishing his glasses on the sleeve of his robes and replacing them on his nose. "He is our Potions professor."

Kate rolled her eyes. "If you need a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, he's your man," she said coldly.

Dumbledore shook his head. "Severus has been too close to the Dark Arts in the past to be trusted with such- responsibility. I believe he is a perfectly capable Potions Master."

"You mean he was a Death Eater," Kate said bluntly.

"'_Was'_ is the key word, there, I believe, Miss Beckett." Dumbledore smiled at her.

"As far as you know," Kate muttered under her breath. Remus squeezed her hands with his own as if to warn her to be quiet.

"If I accept this position, Kate must be allowed to come with me," Remus specified, meeting Dumbledore's gaze.

The old wizard seemed to consider this for a moment, then nodded. "I can agree to that. On one condition." He raised an eyebrow at Kate. "You must swear to me also that you have no residual feelings for Black."

Remus tried to avert the coming storm by blurting out, "Of course not! How could you-" but Kate had already exploded. "Sirius Black is a traitor," she spat. "I hope when they find him that he gets the Dementor's Kiss, and I want to be there to witness it."

Dumbledore nodded, satisfied. Suddenly, he clapped his hands together and smiled. "Well, then." He rose to his feet and bowed deeply to the two of them, Remus sitting dumbfounded in his chair and Kate kneeling protectively beside him. "See you on September first, Professor Lupin." He turned to leave, but paused at the doorway. "Oh, and Remus, I know you are usually quite tired out after the full moon, and Apparating to Hogsmeade might perhaps be a bit too much of a strain. You are of course more than welcome to utilize the train at King's Cross. Platform nine and three-quarters, at ele-"

"Eleven o'clock, I remember," Remus cut in, nodding. "Thank you."

Dumbledore winked at them before letting himself out.

* * *

Later that night, as they lay in bed together, Kate turned to her lover. Her long dark hair trailed over his naked chest as she asked, "Remus, do you think this is a good idea?"

Remus held her close, one arm wrapped around her supple waist, playing gently with her hair. He frowned in thought. "By Merlin, I hope so," he confessed, then he smiled. "I'll be able to keep a proper eye on Harry, then. I owe it to Lily and James."

"I agree," Kate answered, snuggling into his chest and sighing contentedly. She reached out and idly traced the hundreds of pale scars that criss-crossed his naked chest, standing out starkly in the pale moonlight. "Sirius will never be able to hurt Harry like he did us. We'll protect him."

Remus kissed the top of her head and lay back, resting his head on his pillow. "Yes, we will, love."


	3. Dementor Aboard the Hogwarts Express

Kate was awakened by a strange sort of whistling sound coming from several feet away. She opened her eyes just enough to where she could see under her lashes. Three teenagers, sitting across from her in the train compartment aboard the Hogwarts Express, were holding a Sneakoscope and whispering frantically. "Stick it back in the trunk," advised the dark-haired boy, "or it'll wake them up." He nodded in Kate's direction.

When the three teens turned away to stuff the toy in a pair of old socks, Kate took the opportunity to glance up at Remus, who was still sound asleep, his cheek pressed against the window of the train. Rain pelted the glass and caused it to fog with each breath he took, but he was definitely still sleeping. The arm he had wrapped around Kate as she sat curled up in the seat beside him twitched, but otherwise, he gave no indication of hearing the children.

Kate looked back over at the trio and realized with a jolt that the dark-haired boy must be Harry. He looked exactly like James, only with Lily's almond-shaped green eyes. His jet-black hair stuck up at odd angles, and Kate resisted the urge to wake Remus. Here was Harry, in the same compartment, completely unaware of the role she and Remus had played in his life and those of his parents. Her heart ached as she remembered Lily's face the day she had brought this little boy home from the hospital, the motherly glow that lit her face up and made those green eyes sparkle. How happy they all had been!

Listening to the redheaded boy, Ron, describe the joys of Honeydukes shop in the wizarding village of Hogsmeade, Kate fought a lump in her throat. How many years ago she had sat on this very train with Remus, Lily, James, Peter, and even Sirius, discussing trips to Hogsmeade and the classes they would be taking that term.

Suddenly, the train began to slow down. Kate frowned. The couldn't be at Hogwarts yet, could they? Surely she hadn't slept that long? The train lurched to a stop, luggage tumbling from the top racks, and without warning, the lamps were extinguished, leaving them all in complete darkness. Kate sat up immediately, scrabbling for her wand. She paused to check Remus' breathing. How had he not woken up?

The children were panicking at the unexpected situation. Kate heard several people trip over one another before Remus jerked awake beside her. "Quiet!" he called hoarsely, his voice still thick with sleep. He reached out in the darkness and found her hand. "Kate?"

"I'm here," she said quietly.

Remus conjured a handful of blue flames and stood to his feet, stepping carefully around the teenagers tumbled on the floor. Before he could reach the door, Kate's skin began to prickle. "Remus-" she started, but before she could finish, the door slid open. A tall, hooded figure stood silhouetted in the dim light of the flames. An almost impossible cold began to seep into Kate's bones. She pinched herself hard on the arm and tried to remember the last night she and Remus had spent in their little cottage together, how his hands had felt on her skin, how his mouth tasted…

"Harry!" shrieked the girl the others had called Hermione. As the fog cleared from her vision, Kate saw Harry go rigid before sliding to the floor of the compartment, twitching. Before she could react, Remus had stepped over him, brandishing his wand at the creature in the doorway. "None of us are hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks," he said firmly. "Go." Kate noticed the way his voice shook on Sirius' name. When the dementor didn't move, Remus sent a silvery wisp of a Patronus charm at it- not a fully formed one, never a complete one- and the creature glided away.

The lights flickered back to life, and Kate knelt beside Harry. "Harry, wake up," she commanded, ignoring the looks of surprise the other children gave her and slapping the boy around the face. Harry gave a groan and sat up. "W-what?" he asked groggily. Kate helped Ron and Hermione lift him back into his seat. Remus moved back over to their luggage, stored in the racks above where they had been dozing in the corner and now on the floor, and removed a large slab of chocolate. Breaking it apart, he handed a piece to Harry. "Eat," he insisted. "It'll help."

Harry just stared at him as Remus broke up the rest of the chocolate and handed it to the others, saving the last piece for himself and Kate to share. "Eat," he said again. "I need to go up front and speak to the driver, excuse me-" He stepped over the mess on the floor and disappeared.

All eyes turned to Kate. "What was that?" Harry asked.

Resisting the urge to dab away the cold sweat that had accumulated on Harry's forehead, Kate frowned. "A dementor," she said succinctly. "One of the guards of Azkaban."

"Who screamed?" Harry asked, looking around.

Kate felt her skin go cold.

"No one screamed, Harry," Ron said, his voice shaking.

"Didn't anyone else fall out of their seats?"

Before anyone could answer, Remus reentered the compartment. "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know," he said gently, smiling. He sat down beside Kate, who fed him his piece with her fingers. When his eyes met hers, she could see that he was already exhausted. It was going to be a long year.

"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," he said to the room at large. "All right there, Harry?"

Harry nodded mutely.

* * *

When they emerged from the carriages at the large front doors of the castle, Remus reached out and grabbed Kate's hand, squeezing it affectionately. "I have a lot of happy memories here," he said in a low voice, smiling.

Kate turned and smoothed his hair from his eyes. "I'm glad. Maybe this will be good for us."

Remus pulled her in for a gentle kiss, and she leaned away from him, laughing. "Not in front of the students," she admonished him. She stepped back and eyed him critically, straightening his robes and brushing off a piece of imaginary lint. "It'll have to do," she said resignedly, frowning at the several patches she had darned into his robes over the years.

He smiled and took her hands in his, bringing them to his lips and kissing them gently. "It'll do," he told her softly, sounding confident. "With you here, I can do anything."

Kate smiled. "I wouldn't leave you for the world."


	4. The Halloween Feast

**This chapter is where the slight M rating comes in, lovelies, via a small sex scene- but nothing too explicit. Enjoy! **

Kate and Remus left the Great Hall together after the welcoming feast, both of them full of good food and good wine. Remus laughed. "Not an enthusiastic welcome," he said mildly, referring to the smattering of applause he had received when Dumbledore had introduced him to the school, "but considering I never thought I'd have the chance to teach here, not bad."

Kate swiped at him playfully. "You'll be their favorite teacher in no time."

"Unless, of course, you are removed from your position," a cold voice said from the shadows. Professor Snape emerged, looking sour, his greasy black hair hanging in his face and contrasting horribly with his sallow skin.

"Severus," said Kate pleasantly. "I thought I saw you glaring at me over the roast chicken."

"It's quite bad enough that they allowed _you_ to return," Snape said frostily to Remus. "But with Black on the loose? Who invited you?" He turned his black eyes to Kate.

Her eyes narrowed. "Back off, Snivelly. Dumbledore may think you've come back to our side, but I know what kind of man you are deep down."

"And what kind of man am I?" Snape asked sneeringly.

Remus interrupted the growing argument. "An esteemed colleague. It's been wonderful seeing you again, Severus, but we really must be getting to bed. Long day ahead of us."

Snape raised an eyebrow when he looked down and saw their fingers entwined. "I see," was all he said, but his tone made Kate shiver. Finally, he forced a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Good night." Snape swept away down the corridor, his large black robes billowing around him and reminding Kate of an overgrown bat.

When they were in their room, Remus turned to Kate. "Darling, I need you to put aside the childhood pettiness, if you can," he said softly. "Snape is a fellow professor now, and-"

Kate ignored him, sitting on a cloth-covered stool in front of an ornate gold-framed mirror to brush and plait her hair for the night. Picking up a hairbrush and running it through her brown tresses, she said over her shoulder, "Snape always has been and always will be a git."

Remus came up behind her and took the hairbrush. Kate surrendered it willingly, tipping her head back and enjoying the soothing ministrations as Remus brushed her hair. "Please, love?" he asked when he was finished. "For me?" He met her eyes in the mirror, and Kate gave in. Nodding, she said, "Oh, all right. I do an awful lot for you, you know."

"I know," Remus whispered, sweeping her hair aside with one hand and planting a warm kiss on her neck. "Will you do one more thing for me today?"

Kate closed her eyes, sighing. "And what would that be?"

Remus put his mouth beside her ear and said softly, "Let me love you."

* * *

Thursday morning came around, and Kate emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a fluffy white towel, her long dark hair dripping steadily on the old wooden floorboards. Turning the corner into Remus' office, she found him sitting at his desk, frowning at a piece of paper he held in his hand. "What is it, darling?" she asked, wringing her hair out in the sink and casting a Drying Spell on the damp strands.

"Hmm," was all Remus said.

Kate walked around behind the desk and crawled into his lap. "What's this you're working on?"

"Names for tomorrow," Remus replied absent-mindedly, stroking her bare thigh beneath the edge of the towel. "I'm trying to remember names and faces so I don't look a fool."

"You could never look a fool," Kate told him, placing wet kisses down the column of his throat.

He shook her off. "Do you remember Frank and Alice?" he asked suddenly.

Kate sat back, eyeing him warily. "The Longbottoms? How could I forget them?" She frowned, thinking. "They had a boy-"

"Neville," Remus sighed. "He's in Harry's year, Gryffindor." He handed her the piece of parchment containing photographs of each student, labeled carefully underneath in Remus' spidery handwriting. Pointing at a picture of a round-faced boy, he sighed. "Here."

As Kate examined the picture, Remus buried his head into her shoulder, her skin still damp and warm from her hot bath. "Poor boy," Kate murmured to herself, distracted by Remus nibbling on her earlobe. She turned to face him. "Are you terribly busy?"

Remus sighed and took the parchment back. "A boggart moved into the wardrobe in the Teacher's Lounge yesterday afternoon. I've asked Dumbledore to leave it for Harry's class this afternoon. I just hope Snape hasn't decided to change my lesson plan."

Kate dropped the towel and slithered across his lap so that she was straddling him in the chair. "I can help you forget all about Snape for a moment, if you like," she told him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Kate," he warned, annoyed. "I've got to go over this again. I've only got an hour."

"It'll only take a moment," she whispered, her lips millimeters away from his.

He met her eyes. "I'm going to be late," he protested, but didn't pull her hands away as she undid his trousers. He tipped his head back and closed his eyes as she moved in his lap. "Damn it, Kate."

She sighed and tossed her hair over her shoulder, and Remus stood, gripping her tightly under her thighs and laying her out on his desk. "Just once," he told her gruffly, rocking his hips against hers.

"Whatever you say, my love," she moaned.

* * *

Kate sat by Remus' right hand at the staff table during the Halloween feast. It was difficult to eat, as Remus insisted on holding her hand underneath the table. It was worth it; he was beaming, and for once he looked well-rested. Kate took a bite of steak and kidney pie, putting her fork down on the table and clapping loudly after Nearly Headless Nick did a re-enactment of his own botched beheading and bowed to the cheering crowd.

Kate ignored Snape's look of loathing from further down the table and leaned in to whisper in Remus' ear. "Harry looks as if he is enjoying himself. Maybe your little pep talk did him some good."

Remus glanced over at the Gryffindor table and nodded. "I hope so. I know he was disappointed in not being able to visit Hogsmeade."

Kate squeezed Remus' hand under the table. "Do you think it'll ever be safe for him to go out?"

Remus' lips set in a thin line. "I hope so," he said softly. "I hope so."

The feast drew to a close, and the students began filing out of the Great Hall. Kate said something in an undertone to Remus before hurrying after Harry and his friends. "Harry!" she called, catching up to them as they neared the Gryffindor common room. Harry, so like his father in appearance, turned to face her. He raised an eyebrow. "You're Professor Lupin's, um-"

"Friend," Kate finished for him with a wave of her hand. She brushed a loose tendril of hair behind her ear. "I just wanted to see how you were feeling. You know, since the train. Remus said you came by his office-"

"Why isn't anyone going in?" Ron interrupted impatiently, standing on tiptoe to try and see over the heads of the students in front of them. "The portrait looks like it's closed."

"Let me through please, I'm Head Boy." Percy Weasley elbowed his way importantly through the crowd. A sudden chill seemed to settle over the crowd. Remus appeared at Kate's side as Percy's words floated back to them. "Someone get Professor Dumbledore, quick." His voice was terse and strained.

Dumbledore swept through the crowd, the sea of students parting before him hastily. He paused in front of the portrait that concealed the entrance to Gryffindor tower. Kate leaned forward and squinted, trying to see over the headmaster's shoulder. When she finally saw what was going on, she gasped, her hand flying to her throat. The canvas of the portrait was slashed in large chunks, with strips hanging from the frame and littering the floor. The Fat Lady was gone.

Kate heard Remus' breath catch in his throat, and then he was hurrying forward to Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall on his heels.

Dumbledore turned to face them. "We need to find her," he said quietly.

"You'll be lucky!" Everyone looked up to see Peeves the Poltergeist floating above their heads, laughing to himself.

"Do you know who did this, Peeves?" Dumbledore asked in a low tone.

"Oh, yes, Professorhead," said Peeves. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." He grinned wickedly. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

A shriek rent the air. Snape paled, and Remus spun around just in time to dash forward and catch Kate in his arms as she slumped to the floor. "She's fainted!" he cried.

**Reviews make me happy (and earn you good karma)!**


	5. Whispers

**I know I took a rather unacceptably long hiatus on this story, but I lacked the inspiration or motivation to write for a while. However, my husband has been encouraging me to return to writing, because, as he says, "You're much happier when you are writing." So, to show him that his support and encouragement mean the world to me- here is the next chapter! Also, I know the timeline moves rather quickly at points- I hope to go back and polish the opening chapters up one day, as well. For now, please enjoy!**

Kate awoke in the Great Hall, laid out on her back on the cold stone floor, Madam Pomfrey clucking over her. She blinked in confusion and tried to sit up, only to be gently restrained by Madam Pomfrey. "Shh, lie back, that's a good girl. You've had quite a scare," she soothed, brushing Kate's hair back from her forehead.

"R-Remus-"

"He's searching the castle with the rest of the professors, dear. Let us hope they find him."

"Poppy, I-" Kate struggled to explain. "What's going on? Why are we here?"

Madam Pomfrey wrung out a washcloth and wiped Kate's clammy forehead with it gently. "Dumbledore thought it was best," she said simply.

"A-and, Black? What about him? Where is he? Did they find him?"

"You're quite safe here," the older woman assured her.

Kate sat up again, brushing Madam Pomfrey's hand aside. "I need to speak to Remus."

"Miss Beckett, I don't think-"

Just then, the tall oak doors creaked, and Dumbledore entered the Great Hall. He moved over to where Percy Weasley, the Head Boy, was standing amongst the squashy purple sleeping bags that littered the floor. Kate realized that the entire student body must be in the hall- Dumbledore would want to know they were protected.

"Any sign of him, sir?" Percy asked in a whisper that carried across the students' heads.

"No," said Dumbledore shortly.

Kate's heart skipped a beat. For the first time, she became aware of a soft hissing around her, like a light breeze, as the students whispered amongst themselves. "How did he get in?" was murmured again and again by hundreds of tongues.

"Headmaster." Snape, too, had entered the hall, and now moved swiftly towards Dumbledore and Percy, his footsteps loud on the stone floor. "Have you any theory as to how he got in?"

"Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next."

Snape paused, then said in a vicious whisper, "It seems impossible that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed-" He glanced across the room at Kate, who had narrowed her eyes and was glaring at him suspiciously.

"I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it," Dumbledore replied, and Kate couldn't hold back a smirk as Snape's face fell.

The doors creaked open again, and Remus' lithe form hurried across the room to kneel beside her. "Kate," he whispered, running his shaking hands through her hair as if by touching her he could reassure himself that she was alright. Madam Pomfrey excused herself, leaving the two of them alone.

She caught his hand and kissed his palm lightly. "I'm fine," she said softly. "I just-"

"I know," was all Remus said, his eyes holding hers. "I don't know how he got in."

"Don't lie to me, Remus," she hissed softly, and his face fell. "You and I both know how he got in."

With a quick, terrified glance over his shoulder at Dumbledore, Remus placed his hand over her mouth. "Not for sure," he muttered harshly, holding her gaze. "We don't know for sure that he used the tunnels. For all I know, Filch already has them blocked off."

Kate bit his palm, just hard enough to force him to release her. "And if he doesn't?" she rejoined.

"I can't lose Dumbledore's trust," Remus said simply, his voice pleading.

"When he finds out about Black being an Anima-"

"He won't," Remus said firmly. "The dementors will get to him first."

Kate looked up at him wearily. "I hope you're right."

Quiet footsteps approached, and they both looked up to see Dumbledore standing over them, looking grim. "How are you feeling, Kate?" he asked kindly. At her tremulous smile, he said, "You are quite safe here, you know- both of you." He gazed at them both over the tops of his half-moon glasses. "Hogwarts is the safest place to be in a crisis," he said gravely, and then he turned and swept away.

* * *

Kate lay in bed beside Remus' still form, listening to the rain pelt the glass of the window above her head and the wind howl around the ancient castle's stones. There was a Quidditch match that morning, but even if the weather hadn't been so disagreeable, she wasn't leaving her lover's side. She brushed a strand of hair from his forehead with gentle fingers. He sighed and murmured a few unintelligible words in his sleep. The Wolfsbane had done its job, allowing him to retain control during his transformation, and Kate had waited patiently on the other side of the office door until the sun came up. She sighed. She missed their quiet little cottage in Kent. She let her eyes droop closed, dozing off until Remus jerked awake. His arm came around to hold her snug to his chest, and he rested his forehead against hers. "Love you," he murmured.

"Love you, too," she said softly.

Remus raised his head to look groggily out of the window. "Ugh. This weather is disheartening."

"Mmmm." Kate rolled over and stretched, her fingertips skimming the headboard. Remus took advantage of her distraction, rolling over to straddle her hips and kiss her neck. Kate giggled. "Stop," she protested, trying to push him away. "Remus, stop," she objected when he ignored her, continuing his administrations on her skin. "Stop…I mean it…STOP!"

Remus sat up and frowned. "What?"

Kate had sat up too, listening intently. "Do you hear that?" she asked quietly, before scrambling to her knees and pressing her face to the window above the bed. "It sounds like…screaming."

"What?" Remus repeated, joining her at the window. Suddenly, his eyes widened as he saw what was going on outside. Kate was reaching for the window latch. "Wait, Kate, don't- !" He lunged for her arm, but the window was already open. The storm blew into their room, but neither of them noticed. "No," Remus protested, but it was too late. The hundreds of dementors he had seen gliding across the grounds below their window had turned the air into a damp mist, and his bones ached as the cold that always surrounded them settled around them like a wet blanket. He fought to retain consciousness, struggling to keep his eyes open. Where had he left his wand? He looked over to check on Kate, and saw, to his horror, that her eyes had rolled back into her head. Just as he reached for her, she fainted, and they both slid to the floor.

* * *

"Where is he?...Remus, tell me! What's happened?...Where is he?"

"Kate." Remus' voice pierced through the fog that Kate struggled to find her way through. She finally felt herself swimming to the surface, returning to consciousness. Remus held her tightly in his arms, tears streaming down his face. "Oh, thank God," he said, when she opened her eyes and blinked at him in confusion. "You passed out," he told her. "There were so many of them.

"What?" She tried to sit up, but leaned back into his embrace when the room spun. She was on the floor of their bedroom. She must have fallen off the bed when she had fainted. Kate held a hand to her forehead. "Sirius," she whispered.

"I'm pretty sure we both remembered the same thing," Remus said matter-of-factly. "But they're gone now, Kate, it was just a memory." He smoothed her hair reverently. "It's over."

"Who's gone?" she asked, ignoring him.

Remus sat back and watched as she sat up slowly, holding on to the bed for balance. "The dementors."

"What…oh, my God, Harry." Kate tried to stand up, but decided it was best if she remained sitting for now. "Remus, you have to check on Harry. They were headed towards the Quidditch field!"

Remus shook his head. "Harry is fine, I'm sure. Dumbledore himself was at the match. They wouldn't have dared to actually enter the pitch."

"I hope you're right," Kate murmured, wiping her face with the back of her hand. Her skin was cold and clammy. She ignored the feelings of anger and betrayal that filled her as she remembered what the dementors' presence had forced her to see. "Ugh, why do they have to use those things? Wouldn't Ministry wizards be enough?"

"Not enough of them," Remus stated firmly. "Come on, Kate, you know he could get past a whole squad if he wanted to."

"Even after all of these years? Isn't Azkaban supposed to drain you of your powers? Shouldn't he be half-mad and half-dead by now?"

Remus was gazing over her head at the window, which he had pulled shut again against the rain. "Yes, he should be," was all he said. He shook his head. "I don't understand why he's not."

"Maybe he is," Kate said, playing with a loose string on the bedspread. "Maybe we're overreacting, and he's not a threat at all."

"He got out of Azkaban," Remus countered sharply. "He got into Hogwarts. He has full use of his powers of reasoning and most likely full competence when it comes to magic. It doesn't make any sense, but neither did his actions, even back then." He sighed. "He is a mystery to me, now."

Kate leaned forward and allowed him to wrap his arms around her. "I don't know him anymore, Remus," she said softly. "I know exactly what he's capable of, but I can't believe it. How can he be the same person that we knew?"

"He's not." Remus' heartbeat was slow and rhythmic against her ear as she leaned into his chest. "He's not the man we knew. You'd best forget that Sirius, Kate. He's long gone."

**I know, another fainting spell! In Kate's defense, even Harry passes out when he runs into dementors. **


End file.
